New measures to standardise recycling for all kerbside collections in New Zealand mean that aerosol spray cans and caps will no longer be accepted from the beginning of next month (February).
Lids and bottle-tops will also no longer be accepted.
Palmerston North City Council said the reason for excluding all aerosols in kerbside recycling is mainly related to health and safety concerns.
Most recycling plants in New Zealand do not have the safety equipment needed to compact aerosols in a way that prevents fires and ducts any fumes outside of the building, according to the authority.
The changes to the standard materials for kerbside collection are mandatory, it added, as the Ministry for the Environment prepares to roll out a nationwide awareness-raising campaign from 1 February.
"No one likes to hear that you can’t recycle as much, including us," said deputy chair of Palmerston North City Council's Sustainability Committee, Kaydee Zabelin.
"While other councils are now being required to allow for more items to be recycled, the good news for Palmy residents is that we’re ahead of the pack and have already been doing this. That means there are only a couple of easy changes for our residents, with almost everything we already collect continuing to be able to be recycled in your orange-lid wheelie bin.”
The move means that consumers will have to take their empty aerosol cans to specific recycling drop off centres or transfer stations to ensure they are processed appropriately, if they are to be recycled.
New Zealand to remove aerosols from kerbside collections
